McIlroy Thinks R&A 'Seriously Looking' At Staging Overseas Open

Rory McIlroy says the R&A are "seriously looking" at staging the Open outside the UK, with Dublin links Portmarnock under consideration

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland tees off on the 8th hole during Day One of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Paul Higham
By
published

Rory McIlroy says Dublin links Portmarnock would be an "amazing" host venue for the Open Championship, after saying the R&A are "seriously thinking" about staging the event outside the UK for the first time.

Portmarnock has held the Walker Cup and Amateur Championship, and will stage the 121st Women's Amateur Championship in 2024.

The Open returned to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland in 2019 and will be back again in 2025 after the event, won by Shane Lowry, was such a success.

Some concerns raised about Portrush in terms of infrastructure and access could also apply to Portmarnock, but McIlroy says it ticks a lot of boxes and would be a fantastic Open host venue.

"I think there's every chance that they're seriously looking at it," McIlroy said about the R&A considering Portmarnock for The Open. "So I think it would be fantastic.

"I was looking forward to Portrush but (concerned) in terms of how it would do commercially - there's so many other considerations to hosting a Major championship apart from it being a great golf course.

"There has to be a lot of stuff that that makes sense. But, you know, having a course that's so close to a major city, so close to a major airport, having a great golf course, I think it would be amazing.”

The 16th hole at Portmarnock

McIlroy thinks Portmarnock would be a fantastic Open host

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Portmarnock had not previously been eligible to host The Open due to the R&A's policy of not staging the event on a course that has gender restrictions on membership 

However, Portmarnock's male-only membership policy was ended in 2021 after a vote at the club, with nine women elected as full members in December last year.

Paul Higham
Paul Higham
Contributor

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

Latest